I love peanut butter, avocado and oatmeal. Not together of course, but nearly any recipe that calls for these ingredients I'll probably enjoy. I have the misfortune of living with some food sensitivities but the extreme fortune of knowing what those sensitivities are - gluten (only mild, thank goodness), nightshades, lactose, and refined sugar. I'm not a formally trained chef, but I love cooking (and eating!) delicious, guilt-free food. I'm a fitness model, certified nutrition coach, trainer and an IFBB pro bikini athlete... and I eat 6 times a day. When I'm not in the kitchen preparing something extraordinary, I'm - in the gym, rushing off to an audition, at a photo shoot, studying nutrition, or planning a vacation. Hope you enjoy my site! For nutrition consultations or more information on training, contact me at summerwhitefitness@gmail.com

Lake Shrine (…and the not so dirty 30)

Yes, it’s true, I’m 30. No longer can I retort the vague, misleading, yet advantageous statement, “I’m still in my 20s.” I cannot reprogram the calorie calculator age on my cardio machine with 6 taps of the down button, and arrogantly glance to my sweating neighbors to see if they’ve noticed that, yes, I look darn good…and I’m pushing 30! No more Miss USA opportunities, no more America’s Next Top Model (although making it to the top 30 in 2006 was a big accomplishment, and the shirt my mom bought me for xmas a few years back inspired a mini panic from would-be fans in London two months ago…”oh my gosh, I saw you on the show!” to which I simply chuckled). To be honest, though, after watching Miss USA 2012 I realized how comfortable I am with being 30, and with letting go of my adolescence.

My girlfriend (a past Miss Los Angeles) and I agreed that if we could compete at this age, with the amount of awareness and polish we’ve attained from our past 30 years, we would knock the socks of our competition. We have reached a level of oneness with our experience on Earth and feel confident in the way we move through the world.

So it came as no surprise that for my 30th birthday, rather than party-hopping, counting tequila shots, or gorging myself with cake, I wanted to keep things simple, reflect on the things I’ve learned and create new goals to achieve for the next 1, 5, 10, and 30 years. After a great session at the gym, I chose Lake Shrine as the place to celebrate my 30 years of life.

I didn’t realize till right before I wrote this post that the full name for Lake Shrine is actually the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine. How fitting a place to go on such a meaningful rite of passage, as I come to realize my potential and honor my past achievements. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go, since living in Los Angeles, but one I’ve never made time for.

Nestled in the hills of Pacific Palisades, this tranquil oasis can be easily missed from Sunset Blvd. Parking within the grounds itself was full and the line of waiting cars meant finding an alternative. A block or so south was a street which offered ample, unmetered street parking.

Unlike most things in LA, there was no cover to get in, and no judgements at the door. I could tell one group of jaded Angelenos were doubting this as they were armed with oft-heard rope raising expression “we are just going to take a look around, we’ll be quick.” The sweet girl smiled and replied, “welcome, enjoy.”

The grounds themselves aren’t massive but the archways and rising temple overlooking the Pacific give the place an unrestricted feel. A quaint walking path studded with sitting nooks surrounds the lake and offers beautiful views from every angle. There are statues of the Virgin Mary and of Krishna, protecting the waterfalls that feed the lake. Flora and fauna abound. The flowers were in bloom and flaunted colors so bold they just made you want to smile. Turtles, koi fish, and swan float around, hoping to be fed by the many visitors.

You can see the Golden Lotus Archway, behind my sister and I, in this picture. In India, the lotus flower is a symbol of love, compassion, wisdom, spiritual perfection, and the awakening of the soul to its infinite potential.

Near the exit is the Court of Religions, that honors Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. This expression echoes Ghandi’s belief of religious tolerance. Seeing the lotus and the Ghandi memorials reminded me of my recent trip to Delhi and Goa, and I felt very familiar and in-tune with the place.

The whole atmosphere is one emanating love, peace, and quiet; canceling out the hurried rush just outside its walls. My sister and I snapped a few pics for instagram and decided not to go into the meditation center (we were in a deep conversation about pop culture!).

We had gotten there just in time, as they were closing up about an hour after we’d arrived. Both hungry, we decided to head back to the east-side. My sister dropped me off at my place and I rushed up to my apartment, eager to prepare my 4th meal of the day and catch the second episode of True Blood. To my surprise, at the front door lay a beautiful bouquet of flowers my mom had sent me! What a perfect birthday.